Chuck Vs The Truth
by OldDarth
Summary: A little piece ie one shot that rectifies some of the false character moments between Chuck and Sarah that transpired in Chuck Vs The Ring. This is meant to take place at the end of the Ring and before the beginning of the first episode for Season 3.


_A little piece that rectifies some of the false character moments between Chuck and Sarah that transpired in Chuck Vs The Ring._

_This is meant to take place at the end of the Ring and before the beginning of the first episode for Season 3._

_The usual disclaimers apply. I don't own Chuck, etc._

**Chuck Vs The Truth**

The bodies were bagged and tagged. Very little had been spoken between the three of them. They were still in shock over what had just transpired. For once, the normally gregarious Chuck Bartowski was rendered mute. Since his proclamation of 'knowing' Kung Fu, Chuck had not spoken.

Sarah and Casey eyed Chuck, who had stopped the stretcher with Bryce's body, and exchanged a worried look. Chuck's entire body gave off in tangible waves the flashed ability of Kung Fu. He was taut as a vibrating power line. Casey started a head gesture for Sarah to go to Chuck but he never finished. Sarah was already on her way. She stood beside Chuck and they shared a moment of respect together. Bryce lay before them; his eyes now lidded. The blackness of the body bag accentuated the paleness of his skin. His head seemed afloat in a pool of darkness.

Chuck kept the gaze of his bowed head on Bryce as he spoke, 'I'm sorry.'

It was a repeat of what he had mouthed to an imprisoned Sarah when she had first discovered Bryce's lifeless body in the Intersect Room.

Sarah studied Chuck trying to get a handle on his mind set. Was his apology directed at her or at Bryce? Or both?

Sarah was unsure of how to respond, so she choose the best way she way she knew existed with Chuck. The simplest and most honest answer.

'Me too.'

She felt compelled to add more. Now was probably not the best time but they needed, she needed, to clear things up. She knew Chuck well enough to know that he was likely blaming himself for what had happened here.

'He was your friend as well.'

That grabbed Chuck's attention and he looked at Sarah with eyes swimming in torment. Sarah took his arm and gently pulled Chuck away from the stretcher. Through his shirt sleeve Sarah could feel the power of his flashed ability. Pulsing. Dormant for the time being. Just waiting for the need to spring back into life. She nodded to the waiting attendants who wheeled away Bryce's body as surreptiously as they could.

Sarah led Chuck to a nearby cubicle where they both could be seated and have a modicum of privacy. Sarah saw Casey take a discrete position away from them down the hallway as he assumed a guarding stance. She exchanged a grateful glance with him before returning her full attention to Chuck.

Chuck held his hands away at arm's length studying them as if this was his first introduction to them. Sarah took those hands, normally gentle, now capable of great physical violence, into her own. He smiled gratefully to Sarah and returned her grip with equally soft pressure. Sarah felt relief verifying that he had that much control over the flashed ability.

'Sorry,' Chuck repeated again.

'You already said that.'

Chuck grimaced and sat back pulling his hands away in the process. 'Not just about Bryce. I'm also sorry for, well, you know, sorry for not keeping my promise to you.'

'Promise?'

Chuck gave Sarah an embarassed shrug of his shoulders in response to her puzzlement. 'Yeah, you know, the one where I promised I would get the Intersect out of my head. The one where I wouldn't let it stand between me and my girl. You know, that one.'

'Oh.' Sarah wanted to something but once again Chuck had stunned her with his selflessness. She felt her eyes moisten.

'Yeah, because something happened back there.' Chuck nodded towards the Intersect Room. 'Bryce gave me the card to destroy the Intersect and I wanted to do it. But before I could do it, I thought about the last year and everything that happened to me. To us. And not just you and me but with Casey too. All the good we did, even if I didn't always stay in the car.'

Sarah smiled at that. She wanted to speak, deserved it, but this time Chuck truly was on the cusp of telling her something important. So once again, she kept still.

For now.

'So I knew in that moment I had to be re-Intersected. I had to take on this new challenge of taking on the Ring. I just knew that being a spy is what I was meant to be.' Chuck give a quick, hard laugh. 'It's funny you know. When Jill asked how I had become part of the CIA, I just said the first thing that popped into my head. Do you know what I told her?'

'No.'

'I told her that sometimes you don't find the right job but that the right job finds you.' He shook his head ruefully. 'Guess my subsconscious knew way ahead what was true.'

'I knew.'

They shared a smile.

'Yeah, you did. And thank you for never forcing your thoughts on me.' Chuck looked away from Sarah, down at his feet. 'But in doing so I broke my promise to you. And now I won't be able to keep it. So that normal life I wanted to give you is gone. So I underst...'

'Chuck please! Is that what this about? You think that I would stop caring for you because you decided to take on a different life? A harder life?'

'Yeah, I thought it was important.' His head was still hung down.

Sarah reached over, cupped his chin in her hand, and pulled his eyes back up to her. 'No silly. I was worried that you thought that there was still something between Bryce and I.'

'Well I did a little, but before Bryce... before he went, he told me you weren't going to go with him. That made me happy and sad. For a moment I almost decided not to get re-Intersected. But I hoped you would understand. It was the right thing to do. I had to do it.'

'I do. Its one of the biggest things that is so attractive about you.'

'Yeah, a lot of good it seems to do me.'

Sarah took his hands into hers again, the compassion in her face travelled down to her hands and over into Chuck's.

Chuck took a deep sigh, 'But its like Morgan said. The bigger the dream, the harder you have to fight for it. I just didn't know about this.' He pulled his hands away from Sarah and waggled them in the air. Chuck looked confused.

'Chuck? Chuck what is it?'

He quickly pushed his chair back and stood up. 'I'm, I'm not sure.' He moved out into an open area and tried to take on a ready stance. 'It's gone. I've lost it.'

Overhearing this last Casey came over to stand by Sarah. 'Bartowksi? What did you lose?'

'Kung-Fu. It's gone. I don't remember how to do it anymore.'

Casey quickly reached out and gave Chuck a quick slap on the side of the face.

'Oww! Whaja do that for?'

Casey smirked. 'Just checking. So it looks like this new talent is only temporary.'

Chuck rubbed the side of his face. 'Why are you so happy about it?'

'Cuz, nothing scares me more than nerds. And a nerd with _useful_ skills of any kind is too horrible to think about.'

'Well, you better be careful cause who knows what I will flash on next time!'

Casey gave his unimpressed grunt. 'Knowing you it'll be something real useful. Like how to run fast or something. I'm going to check in with Beckman.' He moved back down the hall to make his call.

Sarah came over to Chuck. 'Give me your hands.'

'Why?'

'Just do it Chuck!' He complied and Sarah gripped his hands. The flash was gone! That feeling of tensioned undercurrent no longer present. It was only Chuck again. Thankfully. 'So you remember nothing from that flash about Kung-Fu?'

'Nope.'

'Do you know what triggered it?'

'Not really but I think it was when it looked like that agent was going to shoot you.' Chuck deflated right before Sarah's eyes.

'Chuck what's the matter?'

'This changes everything. I can't control it. I don't know how many other things I could flash on. Will I hurt someone? I could... I could accidentally hurt you or Ellie. Or Casey. Though hurting him a little might not be such a bad thing.'

They shared a brief smile before the gravity of what Chuck had said overtook them again.

'Look Sarah I want you to know my feelings for you will never change. I love you. I always will. But...'

'Chuck please let me...'

'I need to ...'

'Chuck! Shut! UP!'

Chuck took a step back from the force of Sarah's command.

'Chuck Bartowski, everytime we try to talk about our feelings, you take over and never let me get in a word edgewise. I'm not good with talking about my feelings but this time I am going to go first!' Sarah gave her best no nonsense glare to Chuck. 'OK?'

Totally cowed Chuck nodded. 'Ok.'

Sarah relaxed and gave Chuck one of her patented killer smiles. 'Good.' She drew in a deep breath, held it, and slowly released it letting all her tension go with it. 'You need to know my feelings about you. Many times I wanted to tell you but Chuck, as you found out, your being under constant surveillance made that near impossible.' Sarah hugged herself and despite her best intentions turned away from Chuck. 'Plus, I was ... afraid.' She turned around to face Chuck again and bit her lower lip using the light pain to steady herself.

Chuck looked on with a mixture of hope and concern that Sarah found dizzyingly compelling.

Sarah plunged on. 'Chuck you are an amazing man. You've had your world turned upside down and have been thrust into a situation few people could handle. And you've done more than handle it. You've excelled at it. In your own unique way, of course.' She had to smile at that. 'And the most amazing thing of all, is you've haven't changed. At least in the ways that count. Your honesty, your compassion, your selflessness, and your sense of right. They're all still there. You've made me, and even Casey, able to trust in people again. Made us remember _why_ we do what we do. Made us remember _what_ is important.' She paused, gathering her thoughts. She was at the heart of it now.

Chuck started to speak. Sarah wagged a finger at him. 'I'm not done yet.' Chuck subsided. Sarah regained herself. 'But its even more than that Chuck. You brought out feelings I didn't think I could ever find again. Real feelings. Feelings that go against my training. And that makes it hard. And scary. But its like Cole said if you really want something, don't take no for an answer. And I'm not taking no for an answer this time. Because meeting you is the best thing that has ever happened in my life.'

Chuck's eyes threatened to pop out in amazement.

'Bryce told you the truth. I am going to stay with you. I should have told you at Ellie's first wedding but I froze. I'm sorry.'

'That's Ok.'

'Chuck you deserve to hear this and I need to say this.'

Sarah squared herself to face Chuck directly.

'I love you, Chuck Bartowksi. And no matter what happens from here, we will find a way to make this work.'

Sarah held her breath waiting for Chuck's response.

'Sarah, I've dreamt of hearing those words since the day we first met.' He gave Sarah his famous Bartowski 1000 watt smile.

Casey strode into view and barked down the hallway. 'Walker! Bartowski! Meeting with Beckman! Let's go!'

The two of them shared a knowing look.

Chuck sighed, 'We never seem to catch a break, do we?'

'No we don't. But we'll make it. The most special things are the things you have to fight for the hardest.'

'Hey you two! Got wax in your ears! Let's move it! Beckman's going ballistic.' He strode up to the two of them, oblivious to the charged air that connected the two of them. 'Let's go ladies.'

Chuck ignored him and kept his focus on Sarah. 'We will work this out. Together. Ok?'

'OK Chuck.'

Chuck stepped up to Sarah and kissed her. It was too short but it stirred those long dormant feelings Sarah had feared lost. She returned Chuck's smile with the purest one she had let out since she was a little girl. The brief contact was enough. For now.

'All right, all right. Stow that crap will ya? Beckman's already on the warpath.'

'You think this is bad Casey? Wait'll she finds out I want to be a spy,' Chuck smirked at Casey before he took Sarah's hand and together they walked down the hallway towards their destiny.

Casey looked after the couple and shook his head, 'This I gotta see.' He eagerly took after the two of them.


End file.
